Agricultural seed planters typically produce one or more furrows, or narrow grooves made in the ground, for planting seeds in rows. Upon producing a furrow, the seed planter will typically meter and deposit seeds into the furrow at approximate intervals to balance a maximum number of plants in a planting row with a minimum spacing between plants for optimal growth and harvesting.
Upon depositing seeds in a furrow, seed planters will typically drag soil from behind to close the furrow using a soil closing system. Then, seed planters will typically press the dragged soil downward, onto the covered furrow, using a soil pressing system, in order to maximize contact between deposited seeds and soil and ensure soil stability for plant growth.
Current seed planters have a dependent or semi-independent relationship between soil closing and soil pressing. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0206431 A1, titled “Furrow Closing Assembly and Method,” describes an arrangement in which a compression spring associated with closing discs reacts against a press wheel swing arm, which, in turn, reacts against a frame via an extension spring. However, due to one component offsetting the other, such seed planters may be less effective in environments having relatively firm soil and therefore requiring relatively high closing forces.
What is needed is a soil closing and pressing system for a seed planter in which adjustment of soil closing does not substantially affect soil pressing, and adjustment of soil pressing does not substantially affect adjustment of soil closing.